A Love Light in the Dark of the Delta Quadrant
by BriaB
Summary: Kathryn and Chakotay are in a comfortable relationship, but things are about to change. How does the crew respond? Rating for future chapters
1. Chapter 1

A Love Light in the Dark of the Delta Quadrant

As Captain Kathryn Janeway stepped onto the bridge, for the first time that day, for another encounter with the Borg, she felt in her element. The bridge was relatively quiet as she sat in her captain's chair, giving her bridge crew orders to keep them from becoming drones. Out of the corner of her eye she risked a glance at her secret boyfriend, her first officer, Commander Chakotay. A wry smile, a look of love and back to work for the Captain and Chakotay, however, because the Borg waits for no one and nothing, not even love.

"Put the cloaking device up, Tuvok. Evasive manoeuvres. Let's stay as far away from the Borg as possible. We don't want any unforeseen disasters happening." said the Captain. "Red alert, all hands to their battle stations. Seven, is there a way for you to tap into the hive mind, without alerting them to your presence, to see what they're up to?"

"Absolutely, in fact I can even tell you where the Borg aren't going to be, so we can find a safe route out of the sector." said Seven of Nine rerouting her energy through her cerebral implant.

"Great, once you have safe coordinates for passage through the sector, relay them to Tom. Tom lay in a course to get us out of this sticky situation." said Captain Janeway standing up and turning in the direction of her ready room. "Chakotay, you have the bridge." And with that Kathryn entered her ready room and sat down to update the ship's log and her personal log; but she found her mind frequently wandering to scenes with just her and Chakotay in them. Janeway sighed, leaned back in her chair and allowed herself to daydream.


	2. Discussion

Meanwhile, on the bridge, Chakotay was carrying out the Captain's orders. When all the orders had been accomplished Chakotay turned the bridge over to Tuvok and went to Kathryn's ready room to spend some time with her; because when you work twelve hour shifts there isn't a lot of quality relationship time to be had.

"So, where are we going on our date tonight, darling?" Chakotay asked sneaking in on Kathryn.

"Oh! Chakotay, you startled me. I didn't even hear you come in." said Kathryn jumping up and running across the room into Chakotay's outstretched arms. A tight embrace and a long passionate kiss later Kathryn and Chakotay were sitting down on the long blue-grey couch that was a fixture in the room. "As for our date I thought New York harbour at sunset would be divine, and no uniforms, we both have to dress up tonight, got it?" Kathryn asked with a cheeky smile on her face.

"Yes ma'am. For your confidential information only, something more than just a date may happen if things go well tonight." said Chakotay adding an unknown element to their evening.

"Well, then you've just gone and been sneaky, haven't you? At least tell me this, do I get flowers or is it something bigger? If this thing is bigger, a good bigger or a bad bigger?" Kathryn asked suddenly curious about their date that night. She immediately decided to dress up in her very best, very sexiest outfit. If she was going to be asked to marry Chakotay she had to look her very best for her special night. Might that include sex, Kathryn wondered, she didn't dare ask. Being intimate required spontaneity and knowing when isn't very spontaneous.

"Yes, I have been being sneaky, for good reason, however. Kathryn you get both flowers and something that's a good bigger." said Chakotay with a smile as he reached towards the Captain's hand. He looked into her blue eyes and saw love and utter devotion, the same elements Janeway saw in Chakotay's eyes. She smiled as she thought about her life with Chakotay. "What are you thinking about, Kathryn?"

"I'm thinking about how well our relationship is going and how well you know me. I know this is going to sound clichéd, but you know me better than I know myself. You know all my moods, and quirks, and you always know what I'm thinking and how to react to my moods. You're amazing, I've never been in a relationship with anyone quite like you before, Chakotay." said Kathryn cupping Chakotay's dark masculine face in her hands and giving him a kiss.

"Wow, Kathryn, I never thought I would hear you say that. Come on, I have something I need to ask you before tonight, but I can't ask you here!" Chakotay jumped up, grabbed Kathryn's hand and started running towards the door.

"Wait, Chakotay, anything you can ask me anywhere else on the ship, you can ask me here and if we run out of this room hand in hand our crew is going to be suspicious." said Kathryn getting her head on straight and returning to logical thinking.

"But, none of the things I want to give you are here, we'll have to go to my cabin." said Chakotay putting on his pleading, pouty, irresistible face.

"All right, but let's walk out of here calmly, not holding hands. I don't want this crew to be any more antsy than they already are." said Kathryn trying to contain her excitement. She knew what was going to happen.

"Agreed." said Chakotay with a smirk. "Are you coming?" he asked turning to the Captain.

"Yes, I'll be there in a minute, you go ahead. I'll be in your cabin as soon as I gather my thoughts." Kathryn said sitting on the couch, shocked at the events of the past few minutes.

"All right, darling, see you in a few minutes. I love you." said Chakotay walking onto the bridge and through the back door, to the turbo lift, to his cabin.


	3. The Bridge

"This sure has been a weird day." said Tom Paris commenting on the assumed goings-on between certain "friendly" crew members. "The Captain's still in her ready room. Should someone go check on her and make sure she's okay? She seemed rather distant earlier."

"Are you willing to incur the Captain's wrath if she's doing something important might be the better question? So to answer your question, no, we shouldn't disturb her. She's probably mulling over some deep philosophical ideas, and if you go in there and disturb her, there may be some deep, psychological effect on both of you." said Tuvok bringing out his intellectual side.


	4. Proposal

Meanwhile, in her ready room, Captain Kathryn Janeway was sitting with her head in her hands and her hands on her knees wondering how her life would go now. She sighed and walked to her secret closet and decided to tempt fate. Janeway put on a slinky green dress, some multi strapped sandals, and her favourite perfume. She decided to leave by the back door, so as not to arouse suspicions in her crew. She arrived at Chakotay's cabin not thirty seconds later, with her head in the clouds.

"You're late." said Chakotay not looking up from his book.

"I should have thought I was worth the wait." said Kathryn stepping out of the shadows into the light of the room.

"And you are worth the wait. Look at you; you look absolutely wonderful. Wow, that isn't even the right word; there isn't a word in any language I've yet learned that is right to describe you. Come here." said Chakotay spinning Kathryn into a hug and dipping her into a sexual kiss.

Kathryn dropped into a chair in utter delight, surprised at how well her day was going. Chakotay walked to the replicator, turned to Kathryn and said, "Would you like something to drink? Let's just relax for a while before I ask my question. It might be a little bit shocking."

"Coming from you nothing shocks me anymore. I'll have a white wine spritzer to calm my nerves, however. All your little statements are making me nervous." said Kathryn proving herself right with a nervous giggle.

"Don't be nervous, my love. It's natural that I should ask such a question, after all we've been dating for two years and our relationship has been going really well, so this is just the next step in our journey of life together. I know you're scared and I'm nervous too, but that's no reason for us to say we can't do it; we can do anything we want to do and you know that as well as I." said Chakotay trying to calm Kathryn.

"Chakotay, what a beautiful sentiment. It was so poignant and eloquent. You really know how to renew a person. By the way I was going to ask you to start this a long time ago, but I was too stubborn to admit that I cared this much for you. All my close personal friends, and family call me Katie, it's time for you to start." said Janeway taking a huge leap of faith. She'd never asked one of her boyfriends to call her Katie before; this was a new realm of commitment for her.

"Wow, Kathryn, I mean Katie, this is a huge step for us. Here's your white wine spritzer, now stay right there do not move, and if you run I will find you." said Chakotay with a devious smile. And with that he was off and in a heartbeat he was back with a bouquet of red roses, and a ring. As he knelt down in front of Katie with the ring, she began to cry. "Wow, and I haven't even asked yet. Will you Kathryn Janeway give me your hand in marriage and make me the happiest man in the galaxy?"

"Yes, I thought you'd never ask." said Katie, her face wet with tears, holding out her hand for the ring to be placed on it. Although she never thought the day would come, it came and went all too fast. "Well, are you going to put the ring on or do I have to do it myself?"

"Oh, sorry." said Chakotay slipping the cold metal ring of fate on her finger. Kathryn took Chakotay's hands in her own and pulled him to his feet. She ran her fingers down his washboard chest, slipped her arms around his waist, grabbed his butt and kissed him with all the passion she possessed.


End file.
